Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Peasish (Hrachovina).
‘Hrachovina’
The Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial
The glass mural of old Zacatlán
Vitromurales de Zacatlán
Ancient City of Histria
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Rats didn’t take over the city by being foolhardy.
Do New York City Rats Deserve Their Bad Rap?
about 6 hours ago
The Secret Gardens Saving the World’s Rarest Plants
about 10 hours ago
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
1 day ago
Museum of Friends
The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States New York State New York City Queens Greaser on a Clock

Greaser on a Clock

A mysterious statue of a leather jacket-clad rebel leans coolly on an odd yellow clock.

Queens, New York

Added By
Andres Schiffino
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The greaser.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
The greaser.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
The hand-carved statue is chained to the wall.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
Some have noticed a resemblance between the greaser statue and James Dean.   public domain
Beat writer and Ozone Park resident Jack Kerouac is a possible inspiration for the greaser statue.   Tom Palumbo/cc by-sa 2.0
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

On the side of an office building in Ozone Park in Queens is a peculiar bright yellow clock with a statue depicting a stereotypical image of a '50s-era greaser. The mysterious rebel is wearing blue jeans, a black leather jacket, and a greased pompadour. While locals enjoy the kitsch appeal of the statue, most will admit they have no clue why it is there or who it represents.

Throughout the 1950s and into the early '60s, greaser gangs operated out of Ozone Park with names like the Sutter Lords, Black Angels, and the Breakers. Teenagers from the largely Italian working class demographic of the neighborhood would make up the ranks of these gangs. The statue may be a marker of that era.

Some locals refer to the statue as the James Dean statue. The actor's breakthrough role in Rebel Without a Cause showed Hollywood romanticizing the greaser. The success of that film would lead to more juvenile delinquent movies, often with a rock-'n-roll soundtrack. Movie buffs will note that James Dean wore a red windbreaker, not a black leather jacket in the film. 

 

Another possible inspiration is Beat writer Jack Kerouac, who actually resided in Ozone Park. His seminal novel, On the Road, was written not too far from where the greaser statue and clock is. His novel helped define what "cool" was in the 1950s.

Other names have been attached to the statue by curious observers, including Marlon Brando, due to his performance as the biker Johnny in The Wild One, Elvis Presley, and "The Fonz" from Happy Days. No concrete evidence exists to link any of them to the statue.

The clock no longer tells time since the arms have long gone. It's fitting since the greaser himself is timeless. As the neighborhood around him changes, he remains locked in an eternal retro hipness.

Related Tags

Film Clocks History Mystery Statues

Know Before You Go

The Q53 bus takes you to Cross Bay Boulevard and Liberty Avenue. It's less than a four-minute walk to the statue from the bus stop. You'll see the statue at 108-14 Cross Bay Blvd, the offices of Assemblywoman Audrey Pfeffer and an attorney.

Community Contributors

Added By

Andres Schiffino

Edited By

icatsstaci, MrCarl, Anna Minster, bevegankind...

  • icatsstaci
  • MrCarl
  • Anna Minster
  • bevegankind
  • Meg
  • wherearewedude
  • npsnicksheehan

Published

July 11, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/man-behind-ozone-park-greaser-dies/article_67bc60cc-b976-11eb-a063-3bd500cb066c.html
  • https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/man-behind-ozone-park-greaser-dies/article_67bc60cc-b976-11eb-a063-3bd500cb066c.html
  • lostnewyorkcity.blogspot.com/2011/06/guys-on-clock-in-howard-beach.html
  • http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2008/08/rebel-without-clue.html
  • http://www.stonegreasers.com/greaser/new_york_gangs.html#queens
Greaser on a Clock
105-14 Cross Bay Blvd
Ozone Park
Queens, New York
United States
40.679738, -73.844989
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Bayside Cemetery

Queens, New York

miles away

76th Street Subway Station

Queens, New York

miles away

Brooklyn Seltzer Museum

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Queens

Queens

New York

Places 76
Stories 12

Nearby Places

Bayside Cemetery

Queens, New York

miles away

76th Street Subway Station

Queens, New York

miles away

Brooklyn Seltzer Museum

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Queens

Queens

New York

Places 76
Stories 12

Related Places

  • The columns looking out over the Venetian Lagoon.

    Venice, Italy

    St. Mark's Lost Third Column

    Two stone columns flank the grand Venice square, but there were supposed to be three.

  • Gen. John Sevier Statute.

    Knoxville, Tennessee

    Gen. John Sevier Statue

    The statue mysteriously lost its head and left hand.

  • Metz, France

    Statue of the Prophet Daniel on the Metz Cathedral

    A neo-gothic statue modeled on German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, which had its distinctive mustache shaved off by Nazis in World War II.

  • Cotonou, Benin

    Amazon Statue

    The 100-foot-tall (30-meter) bronze statue was built to recognize the world's only documented all-female army.

  • Ada Salter was an influential advocate for women’s rights and a politician.

    London, England

    Dr Salter's Daydream

    This group of sculptures includes the first statue of a female politician in London.

  • Tampa, Florida

    Princess Ulele Statues

    Tampa’s most famous native royal comes alive in a duo of arresting bronze statues.

    Sponsored by VISIT TAMPA BAY
  • Known as “The Duke,” Wayne was an icon for his appearances in many cowboy movies.

    Beverly Hills, California

    John Wayne Statue

    One of two Southern California statues celebrating “The Duke,” this one towers over a Beverly Hills sidewalk.

  • St. Paul’s Island.

    Malta

    St. Paul’s Island

    This tiny island is recognized as the site where St. Paul landed after a shipwreck in the first century.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.